Orus bower



.(No Model.)

0. BOWER. GATE LATCH.

` N0.591,586. Patented oct. 12,1897.

3mm /ws ower s UNITED STATEsv PATENT EEIcEo oEUs BowER, oEBRoDnEAD, KENTUCKY, AssI'GNoR oE ONE-HALE To GEORGE BowER, or SAME PLACE.

vGATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Lettes Patent No. 591,586, dated october 12,1897.

Application filed June 2,1897. Serial 110.639,133. (No modell l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORUS BOWER` residing at Brodhead, in the county of Rock Castle and State of Kentucky, have'invented a new and useful Improvement in Gate-Latches, of which the"following is a specification. l

My invention relates to'gate-latches, and has for its object to. provide a latch which shall be simple and cheap in its construction and reliable inoperation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gate-latch of improved construction which will raise the outer end or level up the gate in the act of closing it.

'A further object of my invention is to provide a gate-latch which shall comprise an inclined toothed bar on the gate-post, a toothed wheel on the gatev to lengage said bar, and means for securing or locking the wheel against rotation.

With these objects in View my invention consists in a gate-latch comprising an inclined rack-bar secured to the post, a toothed wheel on a horizontal pin projecting from the end of the gate, adapted to ride up said inclined rack-bar, and means for locking the wheel.

My invention further consists in a gatelatch comprising an inclined rack-bar secured to the post, a toothed wheel on a horizontal `pin projecting from the end of the gate, adapted to ride up said inclined rackfbar, and a latch-bar on the gate to prevent the wheel from turning. Y

My invention further consists in a gatelatch comprising an inclined rack-bar secured to the post, atoothed wheel on a horizontal pin projecting from the end of the gate, adapted to ride up said inclined rack-bar, and a latch-bar pivoted to the gate 'and adapted to engage the teeth of the Wheel to lock it against turning.

My invention further consistsvin a gate-4 latch comprising an inclined bar secured to the post and provided with teeth, a wheel pivoted on a pin projecting from the end of the gate, having exterior teeth to engage the teeth of the inclined bar and teeth inside'of the rim, and a latch-bar pivotally secured to the gate and engaging the interior teeth of the wheel.

. My invention further consists in the iin.- proved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described,

and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to enable others skilled inthe art to which 'my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now illustrating my invention'in practical operation.

Fig. 2

trating the latch Vand enough of the gate and post to show its connection therewith.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in both figures of the drawings. v j

' Referring to the drawings by letters, A is a farmgate of any ordinary construction hinged in any usual or approved manner to The outer end of the gate in closing swings close to a post C at the opposite end from the hinges.

D is a wheel rotatably secured on a pintle E, projecting horizontally from the outer end of the gate. This wheel is provided on its periphery with rack-teeth F and under the projecting rim on the inside of the wheel has interior rack-teeth G.

. H is a handle-bar pivotally secured at I t-o a stationary part of the gate, the outer end of which is adapted to engage with the interior rack-teeth G of the wheel D.

Secured to the post C in any suitable Inannerand in the path of movement of the wheel is a fragmentary detail perspective view illus- D in the act of closing the gate is an inclined to a level ofthe inner end, the latch-bar H engaging the interior teeth G, locking the wheel against turning and thus securely locking the gate.

I prefer to construct the teeth ofthe wheel and inclined bar pointed, in the form of IOO ratchet-teeth, and to point the teeth F of the Wheel and teeth .I of the inclined bar in opposite directions, and to have the latch-bar lI kept normally in contact With the interior teeth, which When the wheel is running up the inclined bar will pass freely over the end of the latch, but will promptly engage the latch and lock the Wheel should it start to roll backward.

The advantages attending the use of my invention Will be obvious from the foregoing description. The wheel will be sure to engage on the inclined racl; and will run up on it, thus leveling up a sagging gate, and when the latch is released the Wheel will ride down the incline and start the gate open.

The action of the latch in locking the gate is automatic when its Weight is properly distributed and the teeth formed as ratchetteeth, as shown, but if ordinary gear-teeth were used it would be necessary to hold the latch-bar out of engagement with the teeth until the proper point was reached by the gate.

lVhile I have illustrated and described what I believe to be the best means for carrying out my invention, I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, but hold that such slight chan ges and variations as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fall Within the limit and scope of my invention.

llavin g thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A gate-latch, comprising a toothed Wheel mounted on a horizontal pin projecting from the outer end of the gate, an inclined rack provided with teeth to correspond with the teeth of the wheel and secured to the face ot' the gate-post in the path of the wheel while closing the gate, and a latch on the gate to lock the wheel against turning, substantially as described.

2. A gate-latch, comprising a toothed wheel mounted on a horizontal pin projecting from the outer end of the gate, an inclined rack provided with teeth to correspond with the teeth of the wheel and secured to the face of the gate-post in the path of the Wheel while closing the gate, and a latch-bar pivoted to the gate, its outer end engaging the teeth of the wheel to lock the wheel from turning, when desired, substantially as described.

3. A gate-latch,comprisin ga Wheel mounted on a horizontal pin projecting from the outer end of the gate, having exterior and interior teeth, an inclined rack secured to the face of the post, provided with teeth to engage the exterior teeth of the Wheel, and a latch-bar on the gate, adapted to engage With the interior teeth of the wheel, all substantially as set forth.

ORUS BOIVER.

Witnesses:

.I G. FIR'rH, J. H. DUNN. 

